Vat Savitri Pooja

Vat Savitri Pooja or Vat Savitri vrat is an auspicious day in Hinduism when married women observe fast and pray for their husband’s health and longevity. The fasting is named after Savitri, who brought back her husband from the clutches of Yama (death). One of the important rituals of the day is tying threads on Vat (banyan) tree. The fasting is observed for three days and begins two days prior to purnima or amavasya in the Hindu month of Jyeshtha (June – July).  

Significance of Banyan Tree

Among the rituals banyan tree shares its own importance. Women worship Vata/Banyan tree and pray for the long, healthy and wealthy life of their husband. Women feed water expressing their devotion, sprinkle kumkum as the sign of great fortune and wrap long cotton thread round tree’s trunk as a sign of long life of their husband.

Banyan tree is selected as a symbol of three lords, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Root is Brahma, stem is Vishnu and leaves and branches are Shiva. On the puja day, the Banyan tree also symbolically represents Savitri and the incident mentioned in the Mahabharata. 

Legend

The vrata has been named after Savitri. Savitri was the beautiful daughter of king Aswapati of Madra Desa. She selected Satyawaan as her life’s partner, a prince in exile who was living in the forest with his blind father Dyumatsen. She left the palace an lived with her husband and the in-laws in the forest. As a devoted wife and daughter in-law she took all pains to take care of them. One day while cutting wood in the jungle Satyavan head reeled and he fell down from the tree and then expired on the lap of his beloved wife, Savitri. Then appeared Yamraj, the death God to take away the soul of Satyavan from his body. Savitri, deeply hurt pleaded to Yamraj not to be separated from her husband. If at all he would take away the soul of her husband she would also follow. Yamraj, moved by the devotion of Savitri returned the life of her husband. Satyavan came to life again and both of them lived happily thereafter.

Customs&Rituals

All Hindu women observe this festival worshiping and propitiating Savitri as a Devi. On this day, early morning the women take purificatory bath and wear new clothes, new bangles and apply vermilion on the fore-head and the hair-parting line. Then Savitri is worshiped. Wet pulses and rice, mango, jackel fruit, lemon, banana and several other fruits are offered as Bhoga (offering). After observing fasting for the whole day they simply take the Bhoga. In the afternoon when all formalities of worship are over they bow low to their respective husbands and elderly people.

Regional Celebrations

This festival is celebrated throughout India, especially in states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Orissa. In south India this fast is known as Karadaiyan Nonbu and is observed by married women of Tamil Nadu and Karanataka. 

  Vat Purnima
Vat Purnima or Wat Purnima (वट पूर्णिमा vaṭapūrṇimā "Banyan tree full moon") is a celebration observed in the Western Indian states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, India. Purnima means "full moon" and is celebrated on the full moon day (the 15th) of the month of Jyeshtha on the Hindu calendar, which falls in June on the Gregorian calendar. Women pray for the prosperity and longevity of their husbands by tying threads around a banyan tree or waṭ, which is called "pipal puja", on this day. It honours Savitri, the legendary wife who rescued her husband's soul from the ruler of the departed, Yama.The festival of Vat Purnima (or Vad Savitri) is celebrated in the month of Jesht (May–June). Women observe a fast and tie threads around a banyan tree and pray for the well being of their husband.

On this occasion of Vad Savitri, women keep a fast for their husbands. They wear ornate bridal type dresses and jewellery. Their fast is observed the whole night till the next morning. After ending their fast, fruits, clothes and such other articles are given in charity in a bamboo basket to the saints. Women worship a banyan (vat) tree, and listen to the story of Savitri in groups. After this, women can offer prayer and worship. During this puja, women pray for good health of their husbands. Women give water to the tree, holy sprinkle red powder (kumkum) on it, and wrap cotton threads around tree's trunks. Then they go seven times around the tree (called the parikrama or pradakshina).The celebration derived from the story of Savitri and Satyavan. It had been foretold that Satyavan would not live for long. One day, while resting on the lap of Savitri, Satyavan suddenly died. The messenger of Yama, the God of death came to take Satyavan. But Savitri refused to give her beloved husband. Messenger after messenger tried to take Satyavan away, but in vain. Finally, Yama himself appeared in front of Savitri and insisted to give her husband.

Since, she was still adamant, he offered her a boon. She asked for the well being of her in-laws. He granted it to her. She then followed him as he took Satyavan's body away. He offered her another boon. She now asked for the well being of her parents. This boon, too, was granted. But she was relentless, and continued to follow him. As they approached Yama's abode, he offered her a final boon. She asked for a son. He granted it. But there was a conflict with this boon. She asked him how it would be possible for her to beget sons without her husband. Yama was stumped and realized the great devotion Savitri had for her husband. Lord Yama was impressed with her determination, and had to return the soul of her husband to his body. Henceforth, the world recognized her as the great "Sati Savitri". On the day of Vat Savitri,women hold a fast and pray for their husband's safety in the same way Savitri did.And it was most of in its same matter.NOW THOSEDAYS WE HAVE FORGOTTEN OUR GREAT TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS.............

POSTED BY :  VIPUL KOUL 

EDITED BY  :  ASHOK KOUL